The only thing is that there are very few great heavyweights in MMA period. The reason that there are so many in Pride is because most of them use steroids (they are not illegal in Japan). Most of the natural light heavyweights are heavyweights. Even Mir said that being a top 10 heavyweight did not mean much beacuse the division is so thin.

The only thing is that there are very few great heavyweights in MMA period. The reason that there are so many in Pride is because most of them use steroids (they are not illegal in Japan). Most of the natural light heavyweights are heavyweights. Even Mir said that being a top 10 heavyweight did not mean much beacuse the division is so thin.

Steroids don't make good fighters period let alone great fighter. And I daresay the UFC has a similar proportion of juicers.

Mir has a point and after his loss, he is out of top-10. UFC has put on 4 HW bumfights when its their weakest division on this card.

I am not saying that steroids make the fighters better, but they do increase size which is what I was trying to say. It is much easier for a natural light heavy to compete against heavies with some chemical enhancement. The UFC has testing and Pride does not have any; fighters in Pride are just much bigger than those in UFC and the reason, most likely, is steroids.

I am not saying Pride is better because they have bigger fighters, but I am saying their HW division is better because they have more big fighters; more fighters equals more competition.Just look at the difference in roster size. Yes, Pride also pays more and there is a better chance for marketing and endorsments as well, but as I was saying, the ability to use steroids helps the fighters to be bigger, stronger, and faster. I am not insinuating that they take BBer amounts but steroids help performance, period. Sylvia, McGee, Ricco are all big, but they were destroyed by Mir and Arlovski. Outside of those two, there are no other fighters that can really compete in the UFC HW division. Even Couture slimmed down after being HW champ for a while.

Marcus.....I believe what Rodja is saying is that steroids are legal in Japan and in the Pride arena. They are not legal in the US or UFC. Therefore, you will find guys in Pride who fight as heavyweights due to the fact that they can use AAS. These same guys would be fighting as light heavyweights if they were to jump over to UFC due to not having AAS at their disposal. Therefore, you will find more HW in Pride than UFC.....right Rodja?
I would like to see Andre go fight in Pride....that would be interesting to see. or silva come over to UFC.....I'd like that as well. The guys who go back and forth between sanctions seem to have trouble with the rules though. That must be hard to try to remember rules when you have reflexive actions engrained in your head.

Marcus.....I believe what Rodja is saying is that steroids are legal in Japan and in the Pride arena. They are not legal in the US or UFC. Therefore, you will find guys in Pride who fight as heavyweights due to the fact that they can use AAS. These same guys would be fighting as light heavyweights if they were to jump over to UFC due to not having AAS at their disposal. Therefore, you will find more HW in Pride than UFC.....right Rodja?
I would like to see Andre go fight in Pride....that would be interesting to see. or silva come over to UFC.....I'd like that as well. The guys who go back and forth between sanctions seem to have trouble with the rules though. That must be hard to try to remember rules when you have reflexive actions engrained in your head.

- You are stating that juiced up LHW->HWs are better than naturally big HWs which doesn't make sense.

- Testing in the UFC is lax since only competitors in title bouts are tested. If you think competitors in title fights still can't juice and escape undetected, you're wrong.

- And who are natural LHWs? Do you think Fedor, Nog, Crocop, Kharitonov, Werdum or Aleks will probably be competing at LHW?

Ok lets see if I can explain this again...I am not saying that juiced LHWs are better than natty HW. I am saying that there will be more competition as a DIRECT result of steroid usage, however. Also, UFC tests non-title bouts as well. In a fight several months ago Nate Marquardt tested positive for nandrolone after he fought Ivan Salaverry

Ok lets see if I can explain this again...I am not saying that juiced LHWs are better than natty HW. I am saying that there will be more competition as a DIRECT result of steroid usage, however. Also, UFC tests non-title bouts as well. In a fight several months ago Nate Marquardt tested positive for nandrolone after he fought Ivan Salaverry

Your main point is that Pride is better because it has bigger roided fighters which doesn't make sense because most of the big names in Pride don't look anywhere close to Monson and Hinkle or juiced for that matter.

Then you stated that they would have to fight at LHW if testing were instituted. Well who looks like they are juicing and would have to drop a divison?

The UFC only randomly tests competitors in non-title bouts. This was confirmed by the NSAC after the Sylvia debacle. There is no frequent random surprise checks and samples will only be collected post-fight so all the usual precautions for evading postitive results can be applied.

There is no frequent random surprise checks and samples will only be collected post-fight so all the usual precautions for evading postitive results can be applied.

This was my point earlier, and the point that IMO really matters. Its all about the money, people go where the money is good.

But, just to clear up what the other guy was saying, he was simply stating that because steroids aren't illegal in Japan (PRIDE), there will be more competition in the heavier divisions because people who would have been stuck in a lower division will have the opportunity to advance to a higher division, thereby increasing the occurence of talented HW fighters.

Your main point is that Pride is better because it has bigger roided fighters which doesn't make sense because most of the big names in Pride don't look anywhere close to Monson and Hinkle or juiced for that matter.

Then you stated that they would have to fight at LHW if testing were instituted. Well who looks like they are juicing and would have to drop a divison?

The UFC only randomly tests competitors in non-title bouts. This was confirmed by the NSAC after the Sylvia debacle. There is no frequent random surprise checks and samples will only be collected post-fight so all the usual precautions for evading postitive results can be applied.

Marcus...He is simply stating that there are more HWs in Pride...Period. More HWs = More competition.

A lot of the guys that fight in the HW catagory in Pride are only HWs cause they can increase their weight due to the prolific steroid use, right up to the fight.

Natural, these guys would not get up to those weights, and still be in any fighting condition. They would be in the LHW division.

He never said anything about Pride fighters being better than UFC due to Steroids, Just that they have MORE fighters in the HW division.

It is very hard to get up to that weight with the kind of training they do to keep up their stamina and keep off the fat. Steriods will help the Pride fighters cross that barrier into the HW division, while keeping BF lower and keeping stamina up.

The reason pride is better talent wise than the UFC, is money and respect, not steroids (with a few exceptions). Those guys are treated like royalty over there, they dont hear any comments like "kill em" "knock his head off" "we want blood" like the ufc fighters hear and in addition do (despite what xyience commercials may lead ppl to believe) make a lot more money. Look for arlovski to leave the ufc and head over to pride (where he will be a #4 or #5 rank)after the silvia fight (his last one left on his ufc contract) and for Rampage to come over to the ufc to destroy liddell (if babalu doesnt beat him first).

The only thing is that there are very few great heavyweights in MMA period. The reason that there are so many in Pride is because most of them use steroids (they are not illegal in Japan). Most of the natural light heavyweights are heavyweights. Even Mir said that being a top 10 heavyweight did not mean much beacuse the division is so thin.

So you think Fedor, Sergei, Nog use steroids to increase size and be able to fight at HW? No way. I don't think any of those guys juice at all, and certainly not to increase size. Besides Vanderlei and maybe a few others, I don't think many top fighters in Pride Juice. Maybe they do, but just because its legal over their does not mean you can assume they're juicing without some type of evidence. Money not Juice.

So you think Fedor, Sergei, Nog use steroids to increase size and be able to fight at HW? No way. I don't think any of those guys juice at all, and certainly not to increase size. Besides Vanderlei and maybe a few others, I don't think many top fighters in Pride Juice. Maybe they do, but just because its legal over their does not mean you can assume they're juicing without some type of evidence. Money not Juice.

Yeah, and I hear Santa and the Easter bunny are the main event for the next ufc card. Seriously though, I think it's safe to assume that performance enhacing drugs permeate any sport where they can help an athlete, testing or not. They might not have the look of juicing, but neither do NFL lineman.

Fedor's on the Vodka and Sausage cycle, Nog feasts on Brazilian Trannies along with Wanderlei, Bas and the Iceman have been mainlining good ***** forever, the others are just wankin' or celibate like Henderson.

I cannot believe some of the bull**** i'm reading. The top heavyweight fighter in the world, and a guy I really don't see anyone handing a loss to for a long time, Fedor Emelianenko hasn't saw a steroid and never will, and has and will destroy anyone that is put in front of him. UFC has a **** heavyweight division because Pride is willing to shell out more money. UFC doesn't promote heavyweight fighting as a spectacle half as much as it does its lower divisions, and thats in part due to the talent pool. In America if you are a good heavyweight athlete you can play pro football or go be a pro wrestler. There is no appeal for getting paid less to get your face smashed in.

I cannot believe some of the bull**** i'm reading. The top heavyweight fighter in the world, and a guy I really don't see anyone handing a loss to for a long time, Fedor Emelianenko hasn't saw a steroid and never will, and has and will destroy anyone that is put in front of him. UFC has a **** heavyweight division because Pride is willing to shell out more money. UFC doesn't promote heavyweight fighting as a spectacle half as much as it does its lower divisions, and thats in part due to the talent pool. In America if you are a good heavyweight athlete you can play pro football or go be a pro wrestler. There is no appeal for getting paid less to get your face smashed in.

In conclusion, Fedor owns Arvlovski.

Others who would own him include
Sergei
Mirko
Big Nog
and possibly aleks.

I cannot believe some of the bull**** i'm reading. The top heavyweight fighter in the world, and a guy I really don't see anyone handing a loss to for a long time, Fedor Emelianenko hasn't saw a steroid and never will, and has and will destroy anyone that is put in front of him. UFC has a **** heavyweight division because Pride is willing to shell out more money. UFC doesn't promote heavyweight fighting as a spectacle half as much as it does its lower divisions, and thats in part due to the talent pool. In America if you are a good heavyweight athlete you can play pro football or go be a pro wrestler. There is no appeal for getting paid less to get your face smashed in.

In conclusion, Fedor owns Arvlovski.

How on earth does this prove fedor owns arlovski? Like stated unless they fight....There were alot of guys here saying lidell was going to get his ass handed to him too.

Also unless you administer drug tests yourself, how can you state for a certainty that so and so has never touched a roid? It's not a knock on anyone, just common sense. On the same token, I can't say for certain that anyone HAS used. But it's just that drugs are a fact in professional sports.